The Las Vegas Raiders had an eventful first offseason under general manager John Spytek and head coach Pete Carroll. Now, the real work begins in the regular season, and it is time to see the fruits of their labor with the roster that they constructed.
Ahead of Week 1's matchup against the New England Patriots, the Raiders released theirinitial depth chart for the 2025 NFL season. While most of the delineations were expected, there were still several surprises and key takeaways from it.
5 observations from Raiders' initial 2025 depth chart
1. Amari Cooper listed as backup to Jakobi Meyers
Carroll and Spytek recently revealed that Cooper was going to be a big factor in the offense right away and that he would serve as a mentor for Dont'e Thornton Jr. However, it seems like Cooper will be coming off the bench behind Meyers, and Thornton Jr. will have no backups as the "X" receiver. Obviously, this room will be a rotation, and Cooper should still eat into Thornton Jr.'s snap share. However, it seems like the fourth-round rookie will trot out with the starting offense on Sunday,
2. Thomas Booker IV beat out Jonah Laulu for starting DT spot
Booker IV arrived late in Las Vegas, but he has seemingly made a meteoric rise already. Laulu was the talk of training camp, but after a few lackluster preseason showings, it seems like the former Eagle will be in the first group lined up alongside Adam Butler, Maxx Crosby and Malcolm Koonce.
3. Tre Tucker will serve as Raiders' top return man
Tucker is expected to take a major leap as a wide receiver in Year 3, but his speed is being utilized in other aspects of the game. He is currently listed as both the starting kick and punt returner, and hopefully he can impact the game in more ways than one.
RELATED:Patriots reporter just wrote a check the Raiders will gladly help them void
4. Tonka Hemingway listed back at DT
Hemingway was drafted out of South Carolina in the fourth round as a defensive tackle, but most acknowledged that he was a tweener at the NFL level. During the preseason, he was listed as a third-string defensive end, but he has now transitioned back to being a third-string defensive tackle.
5. Kyu Blu Kelly earns starting CB nod opposite Eric Stokes
Carroll noted that there will still be a heavy rotation at outside cornerback opposite Stokes, but it seems like Kelly has a slight upper hand at this point. Kelly beat out Darien Porter and Decamerion Richardson and will get the first crack with the first team, but he has a long way to go before solidifying his spot.
More Raiders news and analysis